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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1979
CROSS HARBOUR LINKS STUDY COMMISSIONED
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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY) COMMISSIONED A $5.5 MILLION TRANSPORT STUDY ON THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL CROSS HARBOUR LINKS AND THE BEST LOCATHON OF THESE FACILITIES.
THE STUDY WILL ASSESS THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL CROSS HARBOUR FACILITIES ON THE TOTAL TRANSPORT NETWORK, AND IN PARTICULAR ON THE CONNECTING APPROACH ROADS.
THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, MR. H.D. STEAD, AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WILBUR SMITH AND ASSOCIATES, MR. J.R. HARBISON ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE JOINT CONSULTANT GROUP COMPRISING WILBUR SMITH AND ASSOCIATES MOTT, HAY ANDERSON FAR EAST AND CHRISTIANI NIELSEN.
SINCE THE OPENING OF THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL IN 1972, THE VOLUME OF DAILY TRAFFIC THROUGH THE TWIN-TUBE TUNNEL HAS BEEN GROWING AT A SUBSTANTIAL RATE AND IS APPROACHING CAPACITY. CONGESTION IN THE TUNNEL AND ITS APPROACHES NOW OCCURS REGULARLY DURING THE PEAK PERIODS.
VARIOUS FORMS OF HARBOUR CROSSINGS WERE PROPOSED IN PREVIOUS STUDIES TO CATER FOR THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR CROSS HARBOUR TRAVEL. THESE PROPOSALS INCLUDED A WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING LINKING KENNEDY TOWN WITH THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE KOWLOON PENINSULA AND A BRIDGE FROM LEI YUE MUN TO THE EAST OF HONG KONG ISLAND.
COMMENTING ON THE LATEST STUDY COMMISSIONED, MR. STEAD SAID THAT IT WAS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY ON
ADDITIONAL CROSS HARBOUR LINKS. PREVIOUS STUDIES HAD CONCENTRATED ON INDIVIDUAL PROPOSALS.
HE SAID THE NEW TRANSPORT STUDY WOULD START IN JANUARY 1980, AND WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN IN TWO STAGES.
+STAGE I WILL LOOK AT SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS, IT WILL INCLUDE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE TUNNEL APPROACH ROADS IN RELATION TO ANY INCREASE IN THE PRESENT TUNNEL CAPACITY, TOGETHER WITH A STUDY OF THE EXISTING VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICES AND THE FEASIBILITY OF THE IR IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION, WITH A VIEW TO MINIMISING THE CONGESTION OF CROSS HARBOUR TRAFFIC,+ MR. STEAD ADDED.
+A DRAFT REPORT ON SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS IS EXPECTED TO BE SUBMITTED THREE MONTHS AFTER THE START OF THE STUDY, HE SAID.
+STAGE || WILL BE A STUDY OF LONG TERM SOLUTIONS. IT WILL INCLUDE ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL CROSS HARBOUR FACILITIES. THE DRAFT REPORT ON THE RESULT OF THE STUDY AND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LONG TERM SOLUTIONS IS TO BE SUBMITTED IN A FURTHER 12 MONTHS.+
RECENTLY, THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL COMPANY ALSO PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE EXISTING TUNNEL CAPACITY BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MEZZANINE FLOOR IN EACH TUBE.
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